The Glory of Van Gogh

V-A-C press
2014, 384 pp.

Nathalie Heinich is a sociologist and a leading specialist in CNRS (The French National Centre for Scientific Research). She is an author of many books and articles on sociology of art and culture, which analyse the identity, the forms of recognition and coming to prominence of artists, the aesthetical apprehension and artistic values.

In her book The Glory of Van Gogh Heinich investigates the phenomena of admiration. Taking as example the figure of poverty-stricken and close to insanity artist, who committed suicide in the age of 37, now canonized as a culture hero of XX century, she explores how the representation of the great artists is being constructed, how the works turn into the ‘masterpieces’ and later become ‘the immortal treasures of art’.